North-West University Botanical Garden

The impetus to develop a proper botanical garden did however not start until 1971 with the arrival of professor Daan Botha, a plant systematics lecturer.

He was responsible for the initial design of the garden and also oversaw the layout of pathways, the construction of the office building, ponds as well as the rocky ridge and waterfall.

Even though horticulture is not taught at the North-West University, an internship program funded by AgriSETA was started in 2011 to give young horticulturalists a chance to gain valuable practical experience.

Goossens Herbarium, was converted into a multipurpose space and has since then been used by the North-West University Gallery for various art exhibitions and also as a classroom for visiting school groups.

[1] Some more common plant genera represented in the garden include Acacia, Aloe, Bonatea, Crinum, Dierama, Encephalartos, Eucomis, Eulophia, Euphorbia, Gasteria, Gladiolus, Haworthia, Hypoxis, Indigofera, Kniphofia, Plectranthus, Podocarpus, Polygala, Scadoxus, Searsia, Stapelia and Zantedeschia.

Some of the plants include a variety of food and medicinal plants including Coffea arabica (coffee), Camellia sinensis (tea), Vanilla planifolia (vanilla), Saccharum officinarum (sugarcane), Cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon), Oryza sativa (rice), Theobroma cacao (cacao), Siphonochilus aethiopicus (wild ginger), Warburghia salutaris (pepper bark tree) and Piper nigrum (pepper).

[1] In 2010 Victoria cruziana (giant Amazon waterlily) was also successfully grown in the tropical greenhouse which drew numerous curious visitors to the Garden.

Some of the interesting plants on display include Myrothamnus flabellifolius (resurrection plant), Didierea madagascariensis (octopus tree), Adansonia digitata (baobab), Fockea edulis (kambro), Hoodia gordonii (ghaap), Aloidendron dichotomum (quiver tree), Sceletium tortuosum (kougoed), Welwitschia mirabilis, Frithia humilis (fairy elephant's feet) and Euphorbia louwii (named after dr. Wynand Louw).